Gun owning and collecting are major interests to many Americans. Responsible owners of weapons, rifles, shotguns, handguns, knives, and the like typically keep their weapons locked and out of sight at all times. One (1) common way of doing this is to store the weapons in a gun rack, also known as a gun safe or gun cabinet.
Gun racks have proven to be very effective at storing weapons and at preventing accidental injuries. However, firearms are relatively expensive and a major gun collection can be worth significant money. The mere presence of a gun rack may alert others that firearms are present within a household. This can and has led to the theft of firearms.
Another problem with gun racks is that they tend to be rather large. Many households simply do not have available storage space in the house for a large gun rack in addition to the other furniture. Furthermore, while gun racks are useful, usually they are not particularly attractive furniture pieces (they can be however, usually at great cost). Therefore many gun racks are located within garages, basements, or other areas, which tend to make the contained firearms not readily available should quick access be required.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a way to safely and securely store firearms and other weapons without the disadvantages described above.
Curio cabinets are traditional pieces of furniture that are used to display cherished items. Such cabinets usually have ample shelving that can be versatility arranged. Curio cabinets are almost always “fine” furniture. That is, they are usually quality made from quality woods and other materials, they are given a superior finish, they are artistically pleasing to look at, and they usually improve the aesthetics of the room in which they are located. Curio cabinets often have features such as multiple beveled glass doors mounted on touch activated hinges, multiple glass shelves, quality interior lighting, and a polished exterior. While they are often rather tall and heavy, thus not easily moved, curio cabinets are almost always kept inside the home so that they and their contents can be appreciated.
Therefore, a technique of using a curio cabinet as a gun rack would be useful. Even more useful would be a technique of using a curio cabinet as a gun rack such that the weapons stored therein are readily available when needed. Beneficially, such a curio cabinet gun rack would hide the weapons from view and would not reveal to others that weapons were kept therein. Preferably, the depth of the curio cabinet would be obscured with mirrors.